


Formally Unseen

by helplessly_nonstop



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Parents, Bruises, Gen, im sorry for the sadness this might induce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:21:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26164045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helplessly_nonstop/pseuds/helplessly_nonstop
Summary: As a libero, Noya had plenty of small bruises that decorated his forearms and legs from the multiple dives he took. But when his team started noticing larger marks, they realize that volleyball isn't the only source behind the bruises.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Formally Unseen

It was no secret that Noya often had bruises from the multiple dives that he did during practices and matches. Thanks to ice baths, most of the swelling stayed down. However, the bruises were becoming more frequent and as much as the team hoped it wasn’t true, there was something wrong about the frequency of bruising on his body. 

Tanaka and Ennoshita were the first to notice the larger marks on Noya’s arms and sides. After all, they were the ones were spent the most time with him, since they were all second years. 

They had been studying at Tanaka’s house and Noya had pulled his hoodie off, raising his shirt, revealing a large bruise on his ribs. Ennoshita glanced up from his work at the sight then asked, “Oh my god, Noya, where the hell did you get that bruise from?” The shorter teen paused at the question then glanced downwards before he let out a small laugh, “Oh that? Ran into a table trying to run to practice. Rookie mistake, you know me.” 

Tanaka and Ennoshita exchanged glances but let the answer slide. There was no real reason to be worried, they told themselves. If something bad was happening to their friend, Nishinoya would tell them. He trusted them enough to confide in them… right? 

The next team members were Hinata and Kageyama. As oblivious as those two may be at times, the reds, purples, blacks, and blues across their senpai’s thighs made them queasy. Something about the way that they were splayed on the skin twisted their stomachs into knots. 

Noya pulled down his shorts then glanced back at his kouhai, asking, “Hey, what’s up with you two?” Hinata looked up at his boyfriend and to Noya, only for Kageyama to clasp a hand over the ginger haired teen’s mouth, answering, “We were wondering if you could show us how to do rolling thunder. No matter how hard we try, we just can’t seem to get it to look as cool as when you do it, senpai.” 

Color rushed into Noya’s cheeks at the underlying compliment then waved them over. Hinata glared up at Kageyama and hissed, “That’s not what I was going to ask.” The dark haired setter sunk to eye level with his decoy then snapped quietly, “I’m aware of what you were going to ask him but you can’t just ask someone if they got beat, Shoyo, it’s incen- insensitive.” They quickly joined the libero on the court and turned their attention back to the practice at hand. If Noya suspected that the two were hiding from the actual question they had planned to ask, he didn’t let it show. 

The third years were the next ones to find out. It was a Friday, which meant that practice got out early to allow the team some free time before they started weekend practice. Asashi, Suga, and Daichi agreed to let the underclassmen go free while they did clean up, only to pause when they noticed that Noya was still in the locker room getting dressed. 

The three stared at the shortest player then the captain pushed open the door as quiet as possible, studying the bruises and scratches that wrapped down his back and around his sides. They froze when Noya sat up with a hiss, muttering, “Fucking parents. Can’t wait til I’m eighteen and outta that shithole.” 

Quickly, the third years retreated, obviously torn as to what they should do with the information that Noya unwittingly gave them. Suga turned to Daichi and Asahi then demanded quietly, “What do we do?” The tallest man sniffled and replied, “We have to help him.” 

Their captain nodded in agreement then stated, “But we can’t just come out and tell him that we know what we know. That might freak him out.” The locker room door opened and Noya raised an eyebrow at the sight of his senpais, chiming, “Hey you guys, sorry I took so long. Couldn’t find my shirt.” 

At the apology, Asahi and Daichi began rushing out acceptances, talking over each other to tell him that it was alright, before Suga elbowed the two in the side, replying, “You’re good, we were coming to make sure that no one had forgotten anything in here. You got everything?” The second year smiled at Koushi then answered, “Yeah, thanks, Suga. You guys are the best trio of dads ever.” 

They smiled in thanks and watched as Noya disappeared around the corner then breathed a sigh of relief, Daichi stating, “I think it’s time for a team meeting. We should talk with Coach and Sensei. I’m sure we’re not the only ones who know something.” As suspected, they were right. By the time that they managed to set an actual team meeting, the rest of the players had interactions with Noya that left a bitter taste in their mouths. 

They settled in the club room and Noya glanced over at Tanaka, chirping, “I wonder what the team meeting is about. Must be important.” The taller second year nodded in agreement then watched as Takeda and Coach Ukai entered the clubroom, a grim expression across their faces. Silence fell over the room then the shorter man drew in a deep breath before he turned to Noya, asking, “You do know you can talk to us about anything, Nishinoya? Anything at all, even if you’re scared.” His eyebrows furrowed together at the question and answered, “Uh, yeah, of course I do. Why?” 

A knowing look flitted across his team’s face and Tanaka drew in a deep breath before he stated, “We know that your parents hit you. And we considered just not saying anything but we can’t just sit around smiling knowing that you’re in pain right in front of us. We care a lot about you, Yuu.” The shortest teen opened his mouth to protest but glanced around at the varying expressions of his team, he knew it was futile to deny the truth. 

He sighed and slumped against the wall as he explained, “It’s not all the time, if that helps. It’s only when I don’t do what they think I should be doing. They’re really traditional and think that I should focus on school, rather than volleyball. It doesn’t matter how hard I try, I’m never good enough for them. So they hit me, try to get it through my head that I need to work hard.” The team stared at him in horror at the explanation then he sniffled quietly, wiping at the tears brimming in his eyes. 

“Nishi, you are enough. You work harder than anyone on this team, even when you were on suspension. What your parents are doing to you, it’s wrong. It’s horrible. You don’t deserve these marks. ” Asahi stated, tears streaming down his face. Noya quickly swiped away his tears and insisted, “They’re my parents, they should love me.” 

“Yuu, that is not love. That is abuse and no one deserves that. So please, let us help you.” Takeda encouraged, kneeling beside the libero. Yuu began to sob as his advisor pulled him into a gentle hug, their coach placing a gentle hand over his shoulder, then Daichi asked, “What can we do to help?” The two men backed away then Ukai answered, “You kids have done enough. Just keep an eye out for any marks. Specs and I are going to go to the police and see if Nishinoya can be removed and placed in someone else’s care until he turns eighteen.” 

“They can’t know that anyone knows the truth, please! No one is supposed to know and I don’t know what they’ll do if they find out that everyone on the team knows.” the libero rushed out, almost hysterical through his tears. Terror in its most sincere form was staring Karasuno’s players dead in the face and not even a match against any of the top teams had scared them quite like this. Noya was their guardian and they failed to protect him. 

Tanaka tugged his best friend into a hug then insisted, “No one is going to tell them. Not until you’re out of their sight forever. I’ve got your back, bro.” Soft agreements went around the room then Takeda stated, “I need to start making calls. Nishinoya, I’m going to help you get out of there.” The rest of the day passed in what felt like walking through quicksand. Tanaka and Ennoshita refused to leave Noya by himself while their teachers began the prepwork. It was going to be a long process. 

-

As everyone continued to work on saving him from his abusive parents, volleyball became his main focus and sooner than expected, they managed to face the number one team in the Miyagi prefecture. And they did it… they beat Shiratorizawa. He was able to help his team conquer one of their greatest rivals. 

Even hours after their victory, Noya could still feel the high from the game rushing through his veins. He felt like he could do anything at that point. He waved to Tanaka and Saeko as they drove away then turned towards his front door. Hell, he could probably take on his parents right now with the power that he felt. He drew in a deep breath and entered the house, kicking off his shoes. 

It was quiet. Much too quiet for both of them being home. Quiet meant danger. He gripped the strap of his gym bag tightly then began making his way towards his room, hoping that neither of them would see him making his get away. As he opened his door, a chair slid across the floor and he froze at the sound. One of them was standing up, perhaps to check on dinner? No, there was no way he would be that lucky. 

“Yuu, come here.” his mother called out, that cold tone striking a shiver down his spine. With three simple words, the libero stiffened and dragged his feet towards the kitchen, terrified to find out what she wanted. He paused in the doorway then stared at his parents, knowing not to speak. As long as he stayed out of striking distance, he would be fine. 

“Have you finished your homework for the week?” she asked, turning in her seat to face him. Unsurprisingly, she had the cane in her hand, a wide knuckle grip around the shaft. He rubbed at the back of his neck and admitted, “No not yet. Ennoshita, Tanaka, and I are going to meet up tomorrow and finish it. I didn’t understand the English assignment, so we’re all going to work on it together.” His father grit his teeth together at his answer then spat, “What good are you if you don’t finish your work? You’re worthless!” Noya flinched at the words, even though they had been flung at him so many times. He wasn’t worthless though. 

“You’re wrong.” His parents froze at the words. After so many years, he had stopped fighting back. Most of the time, it was pointless to protest against their harsh words. It only made them strike harder with the cane. He lifted his head then snapped, “You’re wrong! I’m not worthless! Sure, I may not be the smartest in my class but I’m a damn good libero and I support my team! I’m not going to let you beat me down anymore!” 

His father began to shout something at him, only for his mother to raise a hand, silencing him. She rose from her seat and Noya kept his head up, determined to stand his ground against her. His mother drew in a deep breath, glancing briefly at the cane in hand, then snapped her wrist, the wood whistling through the air before claiming a stripe across his thigh. He cried out at the pain and jumped backwards. He clutched at the red place beginning to take form then glanced up just as her weapon came back down. 

He curled into a ball as the blows began to rain down, each strike constructing its own mark. He trembled on the ground with his eyes clenched closed and began to sob. It was no different than any other time but it felt like his chest was being crushed by an anvil. The cane snapped against his ribs harshly and he wished for the pain to end. They cared nothing for him. He was nothing, even though he gave everything for his team, pushed to finish his work the best he could. He was worthless to them. Why couldn’t he be something to them? 

Eventually, the hits slowed and he continued to gasp for air as his mother walked away, sneering, “You’re never going to make it in volleyball so I don’t know why we should let you continue to play. Maybe if we pull you from the team, you’ll finally do your schoolwork like you’re supposed to.” Even as his ribs screamed for relief, he scrambled on his knees and sobbed, “No, don’t! Please don’t take volleyball away from me, it’s the only thing that keeps me from killing myself!” 

The energy of the room shifted with his admission then she glanced over his shoulder and snapped the cane across his throat a single time, silencing him. He gasped for air, clutching at his windpipe, and fell flat on his back. She stood over Noya then pressed the end of her weapon against his chest, warning in a low tone, “I’ll send you to the morgue myself before you commit suicide, do you understand me, Yuu?” And with that, she walked back to the stove. He stared up at the ceiling with glassy eyes and as he was able to breath again, he crawled into his room. 

Nishinoya pulled himself onto his bed then pulled his phone out of his pocket to examine the damage that his mother had left. Bruises and small cuts splayed across his ribs and hips, not to mention the single mark that was beginning to take place on his throat. It was going to be difficult to hide this beating. 

A message came across the screen and he glanced down, reading it briefly. It was Tanaka checking up on him, asking if he had gotten a shower. If he didn’t answer, his best friend would rush back to his house, which meant that he would see the damage firsthand. He took his phone in between trembling fingers then sent back a brief response, “About to. Had dinner first.” He hated lying to Tanaka but soon, he would be out of his parents’ grasps. He left his phone hidden in his sheets then stumbled into the bathroom, struggling out of his clothes. A cold shower would help with the swelling but he would need to put concealer on when the morning came. 

-

Tanaka frowned down at his phone and Saeko peeked over his shoulder, asking, “What’s up, Ryuu?” He grit his teeth then answered, “I’m not positive, but I think Noya might be in trouble.” His sister tilted her head at the admission and she snapped, “What!? Do we need to go get him? Who’s ass do we have to kick?” He drew in a deep breath and answered, “His parents. Takeda is trying to get him out of his house but it’s taking a while to do, since the police have to do an investigation.” 

“Dammit! Why didn’t you ask him to stay the night, you know we have space for him to stay!” the blonde demanded, shaking his shoulders. He groaned as she continued to rock him back and forth then he replied, “I knew his parents would be pissed if he didn’t come home after volleyball, that’s why. I’m trying to help him as best as I can.” She hummed at his statement then released his shoulders, walking away with a simple, “Let me know when I can help him.” 

The night passed but there was a weight on his chest. There was something wrong with Noya, he could tell. His text made him seem… off. When he arrived for morning practice, he realized that everyone but his best friend had arrived and he froze at the sight. Yuu was never late for practice; it was his safe haven away from his parents. 

“We know. We were hoping that you’ve heard from him.” Daichi admitted, glancing over Tanaka’s shoulder in case their libero came sprinting after him. The wing spiker shook his head and began to reach for his phone when he heard, “Sorry I’m late, I overslept!” The team rushed towards the door and peeked their heads out to see the shortest player limping towards them. A multitude of emotions rushed through them then Asahi rushed out, “You have to let us know you’re going to be late, Nishi, that’s a rule!” 

Noya flashed a sheepish smile and replied, “I promise I’ll let you know when I’m going to be late.” The team began to warm up then divided for a match. They had paused between sets for a long water break when it happened. Tanaka stretched a water bottle towards his best friend as he walked off the court and as the libero began to reach for it, his knees buckled. 

He laid flat on his face and the wing spiker rushed over, rolling him onto his back. Noya stared at the ceiling blankly as Ryuu called his name, desperate for a response then the libero coughed, blood covering his lips. Panic began to set in as his eyes fluttered shut, Hinata and Kageyama racing to get help while the third years bent down to examine the damage. 

“Holy shit, holy shit, what the hell happened?” Suga asked, glancing up at the second year. Tanaka broke through his panic then answered, “I don’t know, he just- he fucking collapsed!” Daichi glanced over Nishinoya in search of an injury then narrowed his eyes at the bruise peeking out from underneath his shirt. He raised the hem higher and they gasped at the multiple bruises that splayed across pale skin. He had been beat and recently; that much was clear in the darkness of the marks. 

“Oh God… I think I might be sick.” Ennoshita whispered, pressing his hand over his mouth. The gym door slammed open and there stood Coach Ukai with Takeda by his side, their advisor clearly on the phone with the ambulance. The blond man rushed over and Daichi stepped away to let him kneel beside their friend. 

“Shit I really hope they’re almost here.” Ukai murmured after examining the damage across Noya’s back and stomach. Seconds later, a siren cracked through the silence of the gym and Takeda was ushering paramedics with a gurney through the door. 

The shorter man ended up riding to the hospital with Yuu, Ukai stating, “I’m going to follow them there. Does anyone else want to come? Only three of you can.” Suga glanced at Asahi then ordered, “You, Ennoshita, and Tanaka go. We’ll meet you guys there as soon as we can, okay?” 

The three modded their agreement then followed their coach out of the gym, clearly prepared to get answers behind their friend’s unconscious state. Surely this wasn’t a good thing. What the hell had his parents done to him? 


End file.
